Depression is a serious mental and emotional health issue that is often considered a co-occurring disorder alongside addiction. When our depression is left untreated and unaddressed, there can be a wide range of dangerous effects. Untreated depression can increase our chances of turning to addictions, or worsen them if we’re already addicted. Depression can make us feel hopeless and alone. We can feel as though we’re drowning in despair. Our addictions can become where we seek solace, the ways in which we try to self-medicate to make ourselves feel better. When we don’t address our depression, it can wreak havoc on our lives. We can experience drastic changes in our eating and sleeping patterns. We might develop eating disorders where we overeat and binge, or have trouble eating and eat much less than we normally would, both of which can be dangerous for our health. We might suffer from insomnia which in itself can be highly dangerous. We might experience increased fatigue and find ourselves depleted of our energy. We might have a hard time focusing and concentrating. We might not be able to keep up with our daily obligations and responsibilities. Our work performance may suffer. Many of us lose our jobs altogether. Our relationships can also be impacted. Depression can cause us to withdraw from other people and isolate ourselves, which can put a strain on our relationships. We might be increasingly anxious, agitated, irritable, restless and moody, all of which can make our relationships more difficult. Many of us express our pain in the form of anger and push our loved ones away. We may become volatile and hostile. We may lash out at people. Some of our relationships suffer irreparable damage. Our behaviors may become more erratic. We may engage in risky behaviors. Our loved ones can become confused and perplexed at the changes they’re witnessing in us. When we don’t confront our depression, sometimes we’re not conscious of why our moods and behaviors have changed. We might not be aware of how serious our depression has become. We may have been avoiding feeling our pain for so long that we don’t even know it is depression we’re experiencing. We may be in denial. When our depression is left untreated, it can take such a toll on our mental, emotional and physical health that we can spiral out of control and experience a breakdown. For many of us, this can be so serious we need to be hospitalized. Getting help for our depression is hugely important, and there are many resources available to us.
Our programs include treatment for mental health issues. Please call 1-888-986-7848 for more information.
